5/13 am close encounters of the furry kind

[dgax65]

Originally Posted by Sarcastic Fringehead

I think most people seem to be unaware that the sea lions are there to fish also. Like I said, everyone makes a huge deal about problem sea lions and how they need to be shot etc. when all they're basically doing is figuring out the best way to get their next meal. Yeah, it's a pain if they're repeatedly stealing bait or posturing for you to get out of their space. But I think the public menace/ imminent threat status that most kayak fisherman are giving them is going a bit far. I've been fishing and diving in LJ for 8 years and aside from having a 20 lbs. pup try to leap aboard, or having the occasional bait stolen, I've never had an issue, nor have I ever heard of any kayak being upset by one or anyone being bitten out on the water. Maybe it could happen, but it seems highly unlikely- and my guess is that if it does, the person probably brought it on. Just my two cents. Fish and enjoy the wildlife.

Yes, we are in their habitat. Yes, they are just trying to eat. Yes, humans are just evil by nature and all animals are pure and sweet. That is a little simplistic. We have upset the balance of nature with sea lions twice; first by nearly hunting them to extinction and then by giving them absolute protection that has resulted in their population dramatically expanding while removing any fear of humans. A balance somewhere in between needs to be struck.
I wouldn't disagree with you that sea lion get shot by some fishermen. As their numbers increased, sea lion began having a significant impact on commercial and recreational fishing. While their population recovered from dangerously low levels, the law didn't change. Fishermen, dock and boat owners were faced with more and more sea lion damage and depredation and they had no legal recourse to deal with the problem. There was little rational response to the growing problem of human/sea lion interaction. Bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, feral dogs, and any other land predators are dealt with quickly when they come into contact with humans. Yet fisherman and boat owners are just told to accept whatever damage that the sea lion might cause. An unresponsive bureaucracy ignores a growing problem until people take the law into their own hands. I'm not condoning that behavior, but if the government had been a little more even handed in dealing with this growing problem then fewer people would feel the need to take independent action. I think that the new rules for dealing with sea lion, while long overdue, are helpful. Hopefully, we don't have to start shooting large numbers of sea lion. If widespread use of non-lethal deterrents teach sea lion to stay away from humans and boats it will be advantageous for both.

BTW: there have been more than a few instances where kayakers have ended up in the water or have had to fight off sea lion.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...=f%27n+furbags
http://forum.kayak4fish.com/viewtopi...ea+lion+client
http://forum.kayak4fish.com/viewtopi...969&highlight=

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4929124
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...8LMEFM80.shtml
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sea-L...ns-41338.shtml